Verbena plant named &#39;Rap Viotwo&#39;

ABSTRACT

A  verbena  plant particularly distinguished by deep violet-blue flowers that form a semi-spherical-shaped inflorescence, an early, continuous and abundant flowering response, medium green foliage with moderately dissected leaves, medium vigor, free-branching, and a moderately compact, partly spreading to decumbent and semi-trailing plant habit, is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Verbena hybrida

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Rap Viotwo’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of verbena,botanically known as Verbena hybrida and hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name ‘Rap Viotwo’. The new cultivar originated from ahybridization made in November 2001 in Gilroy, Calif. The female parentwas ‘1281-1’, a proprietary deep blue-flowered verbena plant(unpatented), while the male parent was ‘1252-4’, a proprietary deeppurple-flowered verbena plant (unpatented).

The new cultivar was created in November 2001 in Gilroy, Calif. and hasbeen asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissueculture in Gilroy, Calif. and Andijk, The Netherlands over a three-yearperiod. The plant has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif. and Andijk,The Netherlands. The present invention has been found to retain itsdistinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have been applied for in Canadaon Mar. 29, 2005 and with the European Union on Oct. 14, 2005.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of the new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Gilroy, Calif. and Hillscheid, Germany.

1. Deep violet-blue flowers and a semi-spherical-shaped inflorescence;

2. An early, continuous and an abundant flowering response;

3. Medium green foliage with moderately dissected leaves;

4. Medium vigor;

5. A free-branching and moderately compact plant habit; and

6. A partly spreading to decumbent and semi-trailing plant habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new verbena plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show overall plant habit including blooms, buds and foliage of theplant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures. The photos are of an 11-week-oldplant grown in a greenhouse in a Spring trial setting.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit, including blooms, buds andfoliage.

FIG. 2 shows the overall plant habit of the plant in a hanging basket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Rap Viotwo’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inHillscheid, Germany. The plant history was taken on 11-week-old plantsgrown in a greenhouse in Hillscheid, Germany in Spring 2005. The plantswere pinched once. Observations were made in mid-May 2005 when theplants were beginning to flower. Color readings were taken in thegreenhouse in mid-May 2005 under natural light. Color references areprimarily to the RHS Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society ofLondon (RHS) (2001 edition).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Verbenaceae.        -   Botanical.—Verbena hybrida.        -   Common name.—Verbena.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘1281-1’, a proprietary (unpatented) deep            blue-flowered verbena plant.        -   Male parent.—‘1252-4’, a proprietary (unpatented) deep            purple-flowered verbena plant.-   Growth:    -   -   Form.—Herbaceous annual.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Initially spreading and later            decumbent to semi-trailing; relatively compact and            free-branching.        -   Height (measured from the top of the soil).—15 cm.        -   Width (horizontal plant diameter).—35 cm.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—10 weeks for a            12-cm pot in the Spring.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Use in containers and hanging            baskets.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—Less than 14 days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.-   Stems:    -   -   Number of branches per plant.—18.        -   Length.—14 cm to 16 cm.        -   Diameter (measured from the midpoint).—0.3 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.5 cm to 2.5 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 143B.        -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.        -   Texture.—Finely pubescent.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Immature leaf.—— Color: — Upper surface: RHS 137A — Lower            surface: RHS 137C.        -   Mature leaf.—— Color: — Upper surface: RHS 137A — Lower            surface: RHS 137C. — Length: 2.0 cm to 2.5 cm — Width: 1.2            cm to 2.4 cm — Shape: Ovate with deep incisions — Apex:            Obtuse to rounded — Base: Acute — Margin: Between pinnatifid            to pinnatisect; incised (intermediate degree) — Texture:            Pilose hair; sparse on the upper surface and dense on the            lower surface — Venation: Pinnate — Venation color: RHS 145A            for the lower surface; the upper surface is indistinct.        -   Petioles.—— Length: 0.3 cm to 0.6 cm — Diameter: 0.1 cm to            0.2 cm — Color: RHS 145A — Texture: Pubescent with            relatively long and soft hair.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Shape.—Cylindrical, tube-shaped.        -   Length.—Up to 1.1 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 cm to 0.25 cm.        -   Color (at tight bud).—RHS 92A (light violet-blue).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Flowers continuously from Spring through            Fall; flowers appear about 9 to 10 weeks after planting of            rooted cuttings.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—5 to 7 days.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Inflorescence type.—Mainly umbrella-shaped to            semi-spherical; appears as umbels or corymbs, but actually            is spikes.        -   Horizontal diameter of inflorescence.—4.5 cm.        -   Vertical diameter of inflorescence.—2 cm to 2.5 cm.        -   Number of florets per inflorescence.—15 to 25.        -   Peduncle.—— Length: 3 cm to 5 cm — Diameter: 0.15 cm —            Color: RHS 143C — Texture: Hispid, rough with hair and            partly glandular hair.-   Flowers:    -   -   Floret form.—Salver-shaped, formed by 5 petals that are            partly fused and a long corolla tube.        -   Floret diameter.—1.3 cm to 1.5 cm.        -   Immature flower.—— Color: — Upper surface: RHS N89B — Lower            surface: RHS 85A.        -   Mature flower.—— Color: — Upper surface: Mostly RHS N89B            (deep violet-blue); some flowers may later become RHS 83B —            Lower surface: RHS 85A (pale violet) and fading toward the            center to RHS 85D — Corolla tube length: 1.6 cm to 1.9 cm —            Corolla tube color: RHS 157A, white with a slight greenish            hue.        -   Petals.—— Length of lobe: 0.6 cm to 0.7 cm — Diameter of            lobe: 0.5 cm to 0.6 cm — Lobe shape: Heart-shaped — Apex:            Moderately emarginate — Base: Fused — Margin: Entire.        -   Pedicels.—Absent, florets are sessile.        -   Calyx.—— General: 5 sepals forming a tube around the corolla            base — Shape: Tube-shaped, furrowed — Length: 0.9 cm to 1.1            cm — Diameter: 0.2 cm to 0.3 cm — Color: RHS 143B (green) —            Apex: Acute (tiny tips) — Base: Fused — Margin: No margin;            fused nearly 100% of the length forming a tube — Texture:            Dense short hair, glandular.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—4 near the opening of the corolla tube; the            filaments appear fused with the corolla tube.        -   Anther length.—About 0.2 cm with two thecae        -   Pollen amount.—Moderate.        -   Pollen color.—RHS 4C (light-yellow).        -   Pistil.—Has one style, about 1.0 cm to 1.2 cm in length.-   Fruit/seed set: None observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: Tolerant to powdery mildew.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Rap Viotwo’ differs from the female parent ‘1281-1’ (unpatented) inthat ‘Rap Viotwo’ has a more violet flower color and is earlier toflower, while ‘1281-1’ has a deep blue flower color. Additionally, ‘RapViotwo’ is tolerant to powdery mildew, while ‘1281-1’ is not.

‘Rap Viotwo’ differs from the male parent ‘1252-4’ (unpatented) in that‘Rap Viotwo’ has a violet-blue flower color, while ‘1252-4’ has a purpleflower color. Additionally, ‘Rap Viotwo’ has a smaller plant habit,finer leaves and smaller inflorescences than ‘1252-4’.

‘Rap Viotwo’ differs from the commercial variety ‘Tapien Violet’ (patentstatus unknown) in that ‘Rap Viotwo’ has larger inflorescences and adeeper violet flower color than ‘Tapien Violet’. Additionally, ‘RapViotwo’ has incised leaves, while ‘Tapien Violet’ has laciniate leaves.

‘Rap Viotwo’ differs from the commercial variety ‘Rap Pur’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 14,076) in that ‘Rap Viotwo’ has a violet-blue flower color,while ‘Rap Pur’ has a purple flower color. Additionally, ‘Rap Votwo’ hasa more free-branching and a finer plant structure than ‘Rap Pur’.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of verbena plant as shown and describedherein.